Suction cleaning apparatus



Feb. 23, 1937. y F. MARHNET .2,071,982

SUCTION CLEANING APPARATUS Original Filed April 10, 1931 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y 12V/alfine! www@ Feb. 23S T1937. E. F. MARTINET 2,071,982

l SCTION CLEANING APPARATUS original 'Filed April 1o, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 2 www Gttomegs Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES SUCTION CLEANING APPARATUS Eugene F. Martinet, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The P. A. Geier Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Original application April 10, 1931, Serial No.

3 Claims.

The invention relates to suction' cleaning apparatus and more particularly to improvements in dust receptacle connections, and this application is a division of my prior application Serial 5 No. 529,136, led'April l0, 1931, matured in Patent No. 1,970,666, dated August 21, 1934, and entitled Suction cleaning apparatus.

A suction cleaner employs air currents to perform the cleaning operation by utilizing an exhauster fan operated by any suitable means to induce a suctional air iiow into a nozzle or other attachment held in contact with or adjacent to theA surface or article being cleaned, and to exhaust the air currents issuing from the cleanerinto the atmosphere, a dust or refuse collector or receptacle being interposed in the air duct system, in series between the nozzle and atmospheric exhaust, either before or after the fan chamber of the exhauster fan, for ltering or 2o' separating dust'or refuse entrained in the air currents from the air currents exhausted into the atmosphere.

The emciency of a suction cleaner is dependent upon the suction created at its nozzle, which in turn is dependent upon the available or effective filtering area presentedin the dust collector. Thus, a dust collector including a cloth, vfabric or paper filtering bag or receptacle, originally vhas a certain predetermined amount of availablev filtering area through which the air currents may pass, the entrained dust or refuse being separated from the air currentsoand retained within the receptacle, andthe ner particles of dust and the like being deposited on v the interior surface of the cloth, fabric or paper ltering receptacle.

The deposit oi' ne particles of dust and the like, during use of the cleaner, on the interior surface of the filtering receptacle, reduces the pressure 'in the receptacle, with the result that the suction created Vby the cleaner at the nozzle, 45 and the consequent eiilciency of the cleaner, is

decreased.

For sanitary and other reasons, the filtering receptacle providing an increased available illtering area 'is preferably, though not necessarily,

paper, so thatthe receptacle when filled with dust' and refuse may be bodily thrown away, destrayed or burned, withoutvbeing emptied, and may then be replaced by a new illteringrecepl; table. Aoeordinlitideairableto convenientavailable or 'effective filtering Aarea thereof andcauses a resistance tothe flow of air currents through the air duct system, creating aback' made of inexpensive, tough, porous, ltering- Divided and this application July 28, 1934, Serial No. 737,053

ly remove or detach'a filtering receptacle from a suction cleaner, without requiring the ltering receptacle, per se, or its contents, which are to be destroyed, to be touched by the operator, so that the removal and destruction of the same 5 may be accomplished in a sanitary manner.

It is therefore an object'of the present invention to provide. dust receptacle connections, which may be readilyA and `conveniently operated to release the dust receptacle from connection with the suction cleaner,|without requiring the dust receptacle to be touched in any manner by the operator of the cleaner. I

These and -other objects may be obtained by a construction, preferred embodiments of which 15 are shown in the drawings and hereinafter described in detail, which may be stated in genveral terms as including in suction cleaning apparatus having an air duct system including inlet means, an exhauster fan, and outlet means, a dust collector in the air duct system including preferably a tubular expansible accordion-pleated filtering receptacle, means for restricting expansion of the receptacle, a connector plate provvided with means for clamping the filtering receptacle to one side thereof and means for actuating said clamping means operable from another side of said plate. I

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a small perspective view of suction cleaning apparatus in operation, in which the present improvements are incorporated;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view o f the main unit of a suction cleaner equipped with the present improvements, the main unit containing` a fan, motor, dust receptacle, the improved connection means, and a vaporizer attachment, the unit being adapted for connection withan air conduit or hose to which a nozzle or cleaning tool may be attached;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross section through the main unit illustrating the dust collector, vaporlzer, and the improved connection means; Y

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the improved dust receptacle connection plate looking toward the clamping means side thereof;

lFlg.5 isadetachedsectional view oftheconnector clamping taken as on the line l-'l. Fig. 3, showing the connector clamping means-in clamped position:

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Hg.5show ing the clamping means in released position;A and 'I is a. perspective view ofthe operating sleeve of the clamping meox. e

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various figures of the drawings.

A standard type of suction cleaning apparatus is shown in Fig. 1, Which includesa main unit I3, preferably a flexible air hose I4 connected thereto, preferably an extension I5 connected to the hose I4, and a suitable nozzle tool I6.

The main unit I3 includes a preferably tubular sheet metal outer shell I1 and a combined motor and exhauster housing I8 mounted at one end thereof indicated in dot-dash lines in Fig. 2, all mounted on runners 20 forming a movable base for the unit. The unit I3 is also provided with a strap handle 2|, while the motor thereof is preferably controlled by an electric switch 22 in circuit with the power supply wires 23. The outer end of the motor exhauster housing is preferably surrounded by a detachable outer shell 24, secured 'by clamps 25 to the shell I1, `and having a central opening 26 in the end wall thereof forming an exhaust outlet for the unit. The parts, per se, thus far described, form no part of my present invention, but are shown for 25 illustrating one of many types of suction cleaners which may be equipped with the present improvements. It is understood, however, that the present improvements may be applied to other types of suction cleaners, and that the ,presentl 30 invention consists in the novel improvements and combinations herein set forth.

The dust receptacle generally-indicated at 21 j dion-pleated wall 30, permitting compression and expansion of the receptacle in an accordion-like manner, as fully described in my prior application, Serial No. 529,136, matured in lPatent No. 1,970,666, dated August 21, 1934.

The walls of thedust receptacle 21l are made of a fine mesh filtering material which may be cloth, or fabric; but which is preferably a tough, 45 porous filtering paper so as to present an ideal air pervious ltering medium for the dust collector.

-The suction cleaner apparatus shown in the drawings is of a type in which the dust collector 50 is interposed between the nozzle and exhauster fan, the shell I1 thereof having its inlet end provided with a removable or detachable closure connector plate or member generally indicated at'36, clamped to the shell by clamps 31; and 65 the plate 26 is provided with an inwardly extending tubular air inlet neck or sleeve 38, to which thetubular air inlet neck or sleeve 39, of the accordion-pleated receptacle 21, may be clamped preferably. in a manner hereinafter de- 6 0 scribed in detail.

While I have shown the dust receptacle 21 as being of the bellows-like, or accordion-pleated type, it will be understood that any conventional dust receptacle, which has a tubular neck or 65 sleeve for being connected to the improvedwreceptacle connecting means, may be used without departing from the scope of. the presentinvention.

'Thus the shell I1, the closure plate 36 and 70 the receptacle 21 within the shell I1, form a dustcollector in which the dust-laden air cur' rents induced by the suction created by :the exhauster fan in the exhauster housing I8, are drawn in through the tubular necks 38 and 39, '15 the dust being separated therefrom in the receptacle 21, while the air currents filter through the porous walls of the same into the compartment 35, formed between the shell I3 and outer surfaces of the receptacle 21 and pass through the motor-exhauster housing I6, the end wall of which may be perforated, and through the exhaust outlet 26 to the atmosphere.

The vaporizer device or attachment generally indicated at 42 in Fig. 3, is preferably formed integrally with the closure plate 36 by providing a tubular extension 43 thereon, closed by an end wall 44, provided with a central opening 45, surrounded by an inwardly projecting annular flange 46.

The outer end of the tubular extension 43 is preferably located at 41 to receive the hose coupling adapter member 48, to which 'the hose I4 is connected.

A disk plate 49 is attached to the plate 36 at the inner end of the tubular extension 43, while a tubular air duct member 50 extends between the end wall 44, yand the disk plate 49,

being Vjournalled on the flange 46 at one endv and extended through a central aperture in the vdisk plate 49 at its other end. The member 56 AThe tubular extension 45 is preferably proi vided with avplurality of openings 55 in its lower portion, vwhich form air inlet passages for the compartment 53, while the tubular duct member 50 is perforated as shown at 50a. to provide outlet passages communicating between the compartment 5 3 and the suction cleaner air duct system of which the duct member 50 forms a part, the inlet passages 55, compartment 53, and

outlet passages 50a forming auxiliary air inlet passages for the suction cleaner air duct system.

A tubular rotary sleeve valve 56 may be rotatably mounted in the tubular extension 43 and is provided with a plurality of apertures 51 which may be made to register with the apertures 55,

when it is desired to use the vaporizer, by means of the operating lever 56 thereof, which projects through a slot 59 provided in the tubular extension 38.

The improved dust receptacle vconnection means within the shell includes the tubular neck or sleeve 38 which extends ,inwardly from the inner side or surface of the connector plate 36, and the clamp guard member 52 surrounding and spaced therefrom, and theresilient split wire ring member 63 which normally springs outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 6, wherein the wire ring member 63 is seated in an annular I accessibly located on the opposite side of the connector plate 36 from the side from which the sleeve 38v extends, for a 'purpose which will be hereinafter described.

The operating sleeve 61 is provided with matched cylindrical cam faces 12 and 12', lwhich join eachother at 13 and are widely separated at 14 and 14. The split ring clamping wire 63 is provided with finger ends 15 which project through slots 16 and 1 1 provided, respectively, in the clamp guard 52, and sleeve member 66, andthe lingers 15 operatively engage the cam faces 12l and.12'.

In connecting a dust receptacle to the connector plate 36, the operating handle 1I is actuated to released position shown in Fig. 6, and the tubular neck 39 of the same is loosely slipped or telescoped over the connector neck 38 accessible at one side of the plate 36, whereupon the operating handle 1I is moved to rotate the operating shaft 68 and sleeve 61 to the position shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. In this position, the cam :faces 12 and 12 draw the wire fingers 15 together to securely releasably clamp the neck 39 to the neck 38 as best shown in Fig. 3. It is pointed out that the outer ends of the neck 38 and of the clamp guard 52 are flared inwardly and'outwardly, respectively, to assist in readily telescoping the receptacle neck 39 over the connector neck 38 also shown in Fig. 3.

The replacement or renewal of a dust recep tacle may be accomplishedl by standing the cleaner unit on its right hand end, (Fig. 2), releasing the clamps 31', and lifting the connector plate 36 upward from the shell I1 to draw the dust receptacle 21 out of the compartment formed by the shell I1. The plate 36 is then held over a garbage can, ash can, waste paper y basket or the like, and the clamping means operating handle 1I, located on the upper or outer side of the plate 36 is moved to released position so as to release the clamped connection of the dust receptacle21 to the connector neck 38. The receptacle 21 then drops by gravity into the place of disposal without having been touched in any manner by the hands of the operator, thus avoiding a transfer of dust or. germs from the same to the operator.

A new receptacle 21 may then be connected to the connector plate 38 and the same assembled in connection with the shell l1 in reverse order, whereupon the suction cleaner may be operated in the desired manner.

'Ihe air duct system oi the suction cleaningfw apparatus-shown herein through which air currents are.drawn orl exhausted by the exhauster f an, includes the main inlet opening of the nozzlev or other tool I6, the tubular pipe or extension I5, the'hose I4, hose coupling member 48, opening 45, air duct member 50, connector neck 38,y dust receptacle 21,v compartment, 35, motorvexhauster housing I8. and exhaust outlet 26.

However, all types of suction cleaning apparatus are provided with such an air duct system, `but the dust receptacle in many cases is located in the system behind the exhauster fan rather than infront of the same as shown herein. Accordingly, the improvements herein described are not limited tothe particular relative arrangement of location of the various ele# ments of the air duct system.

I claim: l. In a suction cleaner dust collector, a tubular shell, an air perviousrdust receptacle within the shell provided with a tubular neck, a combined shell closure and receptacle connector member mounted on the shell and provided with a tubular air inlet neck within the shell, means attached to the closure member for releasably' clamping s'aid tubular necks together, and means on the member accessible exteriorly of the closure member'for actuating said clamping meansto release said receptacle.

2. In a suction cleaner dust collector, a tubular shell, an air pervious dust rceptacle withinv the shell providedI with a tubular neck, a combined shell` closure and receptacle connector member detachably mounted on the'shell and provided with a tubular air inlet neck within the shell, clamping means within the 'shell attached to the closure member for releasably clamping sok said tubular necks together, and means for operating said clamping means to release said receptacle extending through said closure member and having an operating lever located exteriorly of the closure member.

3. In a suction cleaner dust collector, a tubular shell, an air pervious dust receptacle within the shell, a removable closure member for one end of said shell provided with walls forming an air duct therethrough, means attached to the closure member within the shell for releasably clamping said dust receptacleto said duct walls. and means extending through the closure member operatively accessible exteriorly of the closure member for actuatlngthe clamping means to release said receptacle.V

' EUGENE F. MARTINET. 

